


In Search of Life

by brighterthanacarnival



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 1957, AU, Chamber of Secrets, F/M, Hogwarts, Slow Burn, married jacob and queenie, tina and newt as teachers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2019-10-01 03:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17236577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brighterthanacarnival/pseuds/brighterthanacarnival
Summary: In 1957, Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein meet at Hogwarts as newly-hired professors.*currently on hiatus-most likely won't continue*





	1. The Wedding (Part 1)

July 1957

Tina Goldstein slowly walked through the brightly lit room, her light blue high heels clomping on the floor though it was hard to discern through the noise of the guests and the band. Queenie had somehow convinced her to wear them for the special day, but she wasn’t sure how.

The band was playing loudly as several couples swung around in the center of the room and she dodged in between people, trying to find her sister. Daisy centerpieces sat on the tables which were pushed to the sides of the room where people sat conversing. There were also twinkling lights strung across the ceiling above everyone.

Tina felt a hand touch her arm suddenly and she turned around to see Aunt Leah who was sporting a poodle cut hairstyle and a green dress. Her face was lined with several wrinkles and she smelled like she had bathed in perfume.

“Honey, you and Queenie look absolutely terrific today. Queenie’s dress is a dream.”

“Thank you,” Tina replied distractedly, searching over the heads of everyone in the room.

“Are you looking for your date?”

“I didn’t bring a date. I’m looking for Queenie.”

“Really? A pretty, young woman like you coming alone to a wedding? That doesn’t seem right to me.”

“Do you know where my sister is?” Tina asked, ignoring her aunt’s comment.

“Somewhere by the cake. Now, tell me, _is_ there anyone in the picture? You have been dating, haven’t you?”

Tina smiled, used to her aunt’s concerns. Queenie and Tina had gone to live with Aunt Leah and her husband, Uncle Jimmy, when their parents got sick and died the summer after Tina’s first year at Ilvermorny. Aunt Leah was the sister to Tina’s father. They had lived with their aunt and uncle until the year Queenie graduated from Ilvermorny and Tina finished her two years of being a teaching assistant—also at Ilvermorny. Lately, a conversation about her love life occurred every time she saw her aunt. Tina realized it was no use trying to get away from Aunt Leah until she answered her question.

“Not much. I’ve been busy.”

“Do you still work at that bookstore?”

Tina nodded, fully aware that her aunt wasn’t thrilled about her job, but suddenly, Aunt Leah’s attention was captured by a passing relative.

“Oh, Charlotte! Wait for me! Tina, dear, I’ll talk to you later.”

Aunt Leah disappeared and Tina resumed her search for Queenie, weaving in between people she hardly knew. Together, Jacob and Queenie had enough friends to fill the whole hotel ballroom; something Tina had found impressive when she helped arrange the seating chart. Tina scanned the room, checking to make sure that none of the wizarding folk were casting spells. She had been worried about mixing No-Majs and wizards and witches into one room, but Queenie had insisted on inviting everyone.

Finally, Tina spotted her sister. Queenie was standing next to her husband, Jacob, her arm entwined with his. Jacob was wearing a morning suit he had rented for the occasion and he was speaking to his father, who was his best man. Queenie, who had been listening attentively, sensed Tina was near and turned her head to see her sister.

Queenie was wearing a stunning lace wedding dress which trailed all the way to the ground. The sleeves were made of a beautiful, transparent material and the veil she wore trailed from her short, curly golden hair. Words couldn’t describe how beautiful, let alone, happy she looked. Queenie squeezed Jacob’s arm and slipped away before she walked to Tina, her arms outstretched. Tina met her hug.

“I’m so happy right now,” Queenie said into her ear.

They let go of each other and beamed.

“You took a while.”

“Those hallways are like a maze. It took forever to find the bathroom,” Tina responded, “and I ran into Aunt Leah while I was looking for you."

“What did she criticize you for this time?”

“She just wanted to hear about my love life,” Tina replied airily.

“Oh, no. She bothered you about not having a date. Did she say anything about your hair this time?” Queenie asked sympathetically, nodding toward Tina’s stylish pixie cut.

“Surprisingly, no. At least, not yet.”

“Don’t ever listen to her. You’re perfect the way you are.”

“When have I ever listened to Aunt Leah?”

Queenie laughed and they both listened to the music. Several people came up to say congratulations to Queenie while Tina observed contentedly. Soon, they heard the notes of _Love Me Tender_ start up and Jacob was at Queenie’s side. He led her to the dance floor and Tina stayed where she was; watched as they swayed to the music and talked. Tina crossed her arms, feeling the lacy fabric of her light blue tea-length dress against her forearms. She tried to ignore the melancholy thoughts sneaking up on her; it seemed like everything was going to change now, and that was fantastic but also strange.

Tina remembered the first time she and Queenie had ever met Jacob. They had heard of a popular bakery which had opened just a few months before and Queenie had convinced Tina to spend a Saturday afternoon shopping together. They agreed to visit the new bakery before heading home for the night.

Tina had never believed in love at first sight until she witnessed Jacob and Queenie meet each other for the first time. When Tina was finally able to drag Queenie out the door after their visit, Queenie had gone on and on about how kind and genuine Jacob was. It hadn’t been too long before Queenie visited the bakery again and Jacob asked her out. They had dated for ten months before he (sort of), asked for Tina’s permission to propose to Queenie.

Queenie had been late getting home from work one day and Jacob had come a little bit early to pick her up for a date.

“Tina, I’d like to ask you something.”

“Hmm?”

“What d’you think about me asking Queenie to marry me?”

Tina already believed that Jacob was the perfect man for her younger sister and she had readily stated that she thought it was an amazing idea and she thought Queenie would say yes.

Later that night, Queenie came home with an engagement ring on her finger.

In the present, the song ended and Tina was dragged out of her reverie by her sister grabbing her arms as a new song began to play.

“Come on. We’re dancing.”

Queenie led Tina to the dance floor.

“What is this song called?”

“ _Rock and Roll Waltz_.”

“I’ve never heard it before.”

“That’s because you don’t listen to No-Maj music.”

“I’ve listened to Elvis.” Tina replied.

They twirled in circles like they had when they played dress up as little girls. Tina raised one of her hands and spun Queenie around carefully due to her long, white dress. They both laughed when Tina stumbled in her heels.

“How did you convince me to wear these?” Tina asked when she caught her breath. Queenie grinned evilly.

“When we were in the store, I kept begging you to get them until you finally gave in.”

“I thought I ended up choosing flats.”

“Okay, so, maybe I switched them for the heels when you weren’t looking.”

“Queenie!”

The younger sister laughed and didn’t even attempt to act ashamed.

“You really do look pretty, Teenie.”

Tina’s smile softened and her head tilted slightly to the side.

“Well, thanks. So do you.”

Queenie’s expression was joyful but it became slightly more serious as they continued to circle around.

“I wish mom and dad were here.”

Tina nodded.

“Me too.”

The song ended and they let go of each other. They exchanged bitter-sweet smiles before the band began to strike up another tune and Queenie left to go find Jacob. Tina wiped at her suddenly wet eyes and went off to search for a drink. She found the bartender near where the band was playing and she asked for a firewhisky.

“A what?” the bartender asked. Tina frowned in confusion, unsure why he didn’t understand what she was asking for, but then she realized he was a No-Maj.

However, before she could ask for something else, she noticed Uncle Jimmy out of the corner of her eye. He was sitting at a solitary table perusing a newspaper.

“Nevermind,” Tina responded before she walked toward her uncle and sat down next to him. He was bald, extremely skinny, and though you wouldn’t know it just by looking at him while he was sitting down, he was very tall. Uncle Jimmy peered at Tina through his glasses and seemed to internally debate if he should go back to reading or participate in a conversation. Tina decided for him.

“Hey, Uncle Jimmy. How have you been?”

“Hello, Tina. I’m doing alright. How are you?”

“Fine,” Tina responded, half of her attention captured by trying to read the newspaper upside down. Uncle Jimmy noticed this and adjusted _The New York Ghost_ so she could read it easily.

“You used to do that when you were younger,” Uncle Jimmy commented before he leaned back in his chair and observed her. She looked up after she finished reading a paragraph and smiled but didn’t respond. Instead, she focused her attention on the centerpiece of the table and ran her finger across some of the daisy petals. Uncle Jimmy closed his eyes; she knew this meant that he was thinking.

“Aunt Leah left you here all alone?”

His eyes opened.

“It seems so. I didn’t expect her to stay. She likes talking people’s ears off, especially if she doesn’t see them every day like she does me.”

Tina knew this was true. Aunt Leah and Uncle Jimmy loved each other, but he preferred solitude and she preferred socializing. Tina had often wondered how two people so different from each other could get along so well.

“She was asking me why I didn’t bring a date.”

The corners of Uncle Jimmy’s mouth lifted slightly but he didn’t respond. Tina sighed and looked out at the crowd once again, wondering if it was strange that she hadn’t asked someone to come with her to the wedding, but she couldn’t think of anyone she would have liked to ask. She didn’t date much and she wasn’t particularly interested in any of the men she did know. Besides, she had been caught up in helping with the wedding planning and being Queenie’s maid of honor.

“Where are you working right now?” Uncle Jimmy asked suddenly.

“Still at Bellibrooks’ Books.”

Uncle Jimmy suddenly frowned at her and she instantly felt as if she were fourteen again, being scolded for something she had done wrong, but she didn’t know what she was supposed to be ashamed of.

“A bookstore? I thought you wanted to be a teacher.”

Tina blinked, surprised by her uncle’s harsh tone.

“I do. I really do, but Ilvermorny isn’t hiring and I can’t think of any other wizarding school nearby where I could teach,” Tina explained earnestly.

Uncle Jimmy’s expression didn’t change. Tina looked away, unsure why he seemed so disappointed.

“This is coming from the same girl who used to keep a map of the world on her bedroom wall and circle all of the places she wanted to go someday?”

She met his eyes again but didn’t reply. His countenance softened and he winked at her; he was always randomly winking. She hadn’t expected him to be disappointed in her.

“You could teach somewhere other than here. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck in that bookstore forever.”

She frowned, confused about the conversation. Tina hadn’t expected Uncle Jimmy to bluntly remind her that she wasn’t living the kind of life she had always planned.

“I don’t mind working there. I love books,” she responded, feeling defensive. After all, the bookstore had always been a temporary job. What gave her uncle the right to judge her?

“I know you love books,” He paused and then continued, “How many books have you read so far in your life, do you think?”

Tina knew the answer automatically.

“Too many to count.”

“And how many of those circled places on your map have you been to?”

Tina frowned.  
“None of them, I guess.”

Uncle Jimmy nodded sagely.

“Stop reading and go do.”

Tina traced her finger along part of her lace dress. She felt ashamed and defensive at the same time, but she didn’t have long to think about her uncle’s blunt advice because she heard her sister calling her name over the crowd.

“I’ll talk to you later, Uncle Jimmy.”

She heard him grumble in acknowledgement as she stood, turned around, and watched as Aunt Leah approached Jacob and Queenie. Queenie noticed Tina hesitate and beckoned her to join the group. Tina shook her head and mouthed the word ‘no’, but Queenie frowned back. Tina relented.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this idea for an AU a few months ago while I was driving home from work and I absolutely had to begin writing it. Thank you for reading! Feedback is appreciated. :)


	2. The Wedding (Part 2)

Tina subconsciously listened to Aunt Leah shower Jacob and Queenie with wishes of happiness, but she didn’t pay much attention. Her mind was still replaying what Uncle Jimmy had said to her.

Could she simply uproot and leave New York to teach in a place she had never been to? Sure, she had dreamed of traveling when she was younger, but she had felt braver then. At thirteen, the world had seemed so big she absolutely had to see it. Tina tried to recall other wizarding schools she had heard of, but what if she regretted leaving New York to teach in another country? Would any school want to employ her?

Tina frowned and nervously bit her lip as her thoughts whirled away. She looked up at the mention of her name in the conversation.

“Tina, darling, I just thought of someone I think would be perfect for you! He’s a nephew of one of our neighbors. You remember Mr. and Mrs. Perry, right? Well, their nephew, Dave, was visiting them for a weekend and Mrs. Perry mentioned that he recently broke up with the woman he was dating. Would you want me to set you up with him?”

Tina blinked a few times, her mind still off somewhere else, but she soon realized what Aunt Leah was asking.

“I don’t know. If he  _ just  _ got out of a relationship, I’m not so sure it would be a good idea.”

“He’s a nice, young man. He works in some department at MACUSA. Do you know a Dave Dwyer, Queenie?”

Queenie shook her head and gave Tina an odd look. Tina wondered if Queenie had noticed her thoughts about applying for positions at various wizarding schools. Her aunt sighed.

“Ah, well, maybe in the future. I’ll find someone for you, Tina. I’m known for being a matchmaker.”

Tina caught Queenie’s eyes and they both struggled not to laugh. They had lived with their aunt for many years and they had never heard her mentioned as a matchmaker. Although Tina was slightly annoyed with her aunt’s need to take care of her love life, Tina appreciated the gesture. She knew Aunt Leah only wanted the best for her.

The night continued on. At about eight in the evening, Queenie threw her bouquet (which one of Queenie’s coworkers, Theodora, caught), and that signaled it was time for Queenie and Jacob to leave.

Jacob gave Tina a quick hug.

“Thank you for everything,” he stated genuinely. She beamed and assumed he was thanking her for her help with the wedding preparations.

“You’re both welcome. By the way, if you ever hurt my sister, don’t forget that not just Queenie can curse you mercilessly, but I know many, and I  _ mean  _ many, hexes that I could use on you if you did ever hurt her.”

Of course, Tina was mostly joking when she warned him. She was sure Jacob was one of the nicest men she had never met and he seemed to be as malicious as a teddy bear, but a tiny part of her meant the statement sincerely. Jacob nodded, his mouth turned up in an unsure smile. Queenie approached both of them.

“Stop tormenting my husband, Teen.”

“Don’t worry, Tina, I promise to be the best husband to ever live,” Jacob stated with a surer smile.

“Well, we really should be goin’, hon,”

“You’re right. The car’s outside.”

A sudden, intense feeling of bitter-sweetness stabbed Tina’s heart but she smiled broadly and pushed the feeling away. In a flurry of movement, various people followed the bride and groom outside, waving goodbye. Tina was right behind her sister as they got outside and they embraced again before she got into the waiting car. Tina couldn’t help her teary eyes.

“Aw, sis,” Queenie said. Tina laughed and wiped at her eyes.

“I’m fine, Queen. You both go and have a great time. I love you.”

“Love you, too. See ya.”

And then Queenie and Jacob were gone, on their way to Jacob’s apartment where their luggage was waiting. They would Disapparate to San Francisco where they would spend their honeymoon for the next week.

Tina went back inside along with everyone else who had come out to say goodbye. She found her uncle again, sitting at the table he had been at before. His eyes were closed. Tina tilted her head.

“Uncle Jimmy?”

His chin jerked up from his chest very suddenly.

“You were asleep,” Tina stated as she took her previous seat. She smiled slightly; Uncle Jimmy could fall asleep anywhere. She could even remember him falling asleep at the dinner table once when Aunt Leah had been sharing a particularly uninteresting anecdote.

“It's past my bedtime,” Uncle Jimmy said drowsily. His chin began to droop again and Tina didn't stop him even though she would have liked someone to talk to just then. She took her uncle's newspaper and read the whole thing while wedding guests dispersed. She heard Aunt Leah's voice louder than before.

“No, really, we insist! It will hardly take any time for us to clean up. You go on home and take some of this food with you.”

“No,  _ I  _ insist. I want to help.”

Aunt Leah was talking to Jacob's father. The band had already left and the last straggling guests in the room waved to Tina as they left; she waved back. Finally, Jacob's father was convinced by Aunt Leah's insistence. He nodded goodbye to Tina and departed as well with some of the leftover food.

Tina stood up and looked around at the mess surrounding them; it wasn’t too awful. She pulled out her wand and began to cast some spells to clean the place up. Uncle Jimmy was snoring loudly by that time.

“Will you start working on those lights when you finish the tables, hon? Thank you,” Aunt Leah called out, her wand in her hand as well.

About five minutes later, when everything was cleaned up, the tables were put away, and the food was stored into two magically enlarged containers, Aunt Leah kissed Tina on the cheek and went to wake up Uncle Jimmy.

“Jim, wake up. It’s time to go home.”

“Alright, alright,” Uncle Jimmy growled. He stood up and grabbed his newspaper, a drowsy look on his face. He nodded his head once at his niece.

“You’ll remember what I said, right?”

“Right,” Tina responded; she felt tired herself.

“What did you say to her, Jim?”

“Oh, not much, Leah. Just gave her some advice about her future,” Uncle Jimmy responded. He rubbed at his eyes with one of his hands and yawned.

“Hmmm, well, don’t hesitate to visit us, Tina. You’re welcome anytime; you know that. You take that container of food over there. I’m glad we weren’t left with too much. Anyway, I’ll let you know if I find any young bachelors for you.”

“Thank you. Really, thank you for everything,” Tina replied.

“Of course, dear! Well, we better go. Goodbye!”

“Goodbye.”

Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Leah Disapparated. Tina grabbed her container and sighed. She looked around at the pretty room feeling odd.

A few seconds later, she Disapparated to her street, walked inside her apartment building, and proceeded up the stairs. She heard a distant door open up above.

“That you, Tina?”

It was her neighbor, Mrs. Esposito. She was always sticking her nose into Tina’s business.

“Yes, Mrs. Esposito!”

“Are you alone?”

Tina stopped on the stairs briefly; hesitated before she responded. This conversation had occurred several times before and Tina always answered in the same way. Although, this time, it felt sadder to say it.

“I’m always alone, Mrs. Esposito.”

She heard footsteps above, indicating that Mrs. Esposito was pleased with the answer. Tina continued walking up the stairs, approached her apartment door, and unlocked it before she went inside.

Tina locked the door and took off her high heels. They were killing her feet at that point, but she had to admit that they were a very pretty pair of shoes. She put the leftover food where it was supposed to go and debated if she wanted a cup of coffee or not.

But she was tired and she didn’t want to think about Uncle Jimmy’s lecture, so she went to bed instead, deciding to think about it tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and the kind comments!


	3. After the (Almost) Proposal

It was two weeks after the breakup and Newt Scamander was not fine.

However, that didn’t stop him from saying he was when he spoke with his mother one Sunday afternoon. She had asked him to help her examine one of her beloved hippogriffs who was pregnant and nearly ready to have her babies.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

They left it there for several minutes. The air was cool for a July day.

“You were together for two years.”

Newt sighed, not ready to talk about it.

“Well, as she said, we were only truly together for three months out of those two years.”

He looked at his mother with her auburn hair tied into a knot on her head. She was wearing a practical dress meant for the outdoors and her look was that of the classic worried mother.

“But you were friends for a very long time.”

“We’re still friends.”

Not really. They weren’t still friends. At least, not good friends.

They were more like the kind of friends who see each other at a store and say hello because they’re supposed to.

“Ainslee’s getting along perfectly,” Newt stated, referring to the hippogriff.

“I know she is. Let’s go have some tea.”

So, it had been a trap. His mother hadn’t really wanted his help; she had merely wanted to talk about his love life.

“I should really be getting back to my basement. The kelpie—”

“You’re not running away from me. Your assistant can deal with whatever you suddenly need to do. You’ve been a recluse ever since Leta—”

“I have not been a recluse.”

“Don’t interrupt me when I’m talking.”

Newt sighed again, wishing desperately that he was in his case or in his basement or sailing away to learn more about new creatures. He followed his mother to the house he had grown up in.

As if one of the family house-elves had anticipated what Mrs. Scamander wanted, a tray laden with tea and biscuits hovered by the doorway. Newt's mother led the way to one of the sitting rooms of the grand house; the tray followed them.

Upon entering the sitting room, Newt claimed the squashy armchair he had always sat in when he was younger. He remembered the time when he was six and he had brought beetles inside. He had let them out of his hands onto the armrests of the chair and watched, fascinated, as the beetles began to change colors over and over again. That had been when he first displayed signs of magic as a child.

“You were going to propose to Leta, weren't you?” Newt's mother asked nonchalantly as she sat down across from her son. Newt frowned at her bluntness even though he usually admired it. He wasn't in the mood for it at the moment.

“I don't know. I did consider it.”

His mother sipped tea but he didn’t touch his drink. She was squinting at him as if that would help her to better understand how he was feeling. He didn’t speak while she did this; he had gone two weeks without talking to any humans about the breakup and he had been perfectly content confiding in his creatures.

“You  _ wanted _ to propose to her, didn’t you?”

He sighed again and laid his arms on the armrests.

“Newton, I’m your mother. I’m worried about you.”

She set her tea down and waited. He gave in.

“I didn't know if I wanted to propose. I felt like I was supposed to, so I almost did.”

“Did you buy a ring?”

He grimaced, remembering how he had nearly gone into a jewelry store to pick one out a few days before she broke up with him.

“No, but I almost proposed without one.”

A clock was ticking somewhere in the room. He remembered that night when he had been sitting down at dinner with Leta. He had taken her to a nice wizarding restaurant in Diagon Alley and her hand had rested on the table. He had almost reached out, but she pulled away before he could.

“Newt, we need to talk,” Leta stated.

In the present, Newt shook his head slowly.

“I don’t want to talk about this right now,” he said quietly.

Finally, his mother gave in. She changed the subject and talked lightly about how well the flowers were blooming this year.

When Newt left, he walked out into the yard before Disapparating, wondering if there was something wrong with him.

He thought he had loved Leta. He thought she had loved him.

Had they ever really been in love?


	4. The Search for Mr. Tubby

“Have a nice day,” Tina called to the retreating back of a customer who had just bought a book titled  _ The Curious Inventions of No-Majs _ . He mumbled a goodbye and the bell above the door signaled his exit. Bellibrooks’ Books was left empty again.

It had been a slow day so far which was surprising since Saturdays weren’t usually slow. Tina looked around at the familiar, comforting surroundings to make sure nobody was in the room with her. The bookstore was cluttered with anything from school textbooks to antique volumes and the pale paint on the walls was peeling.

Tina loved her job at the bookstore, but after thinking about what Uncle Jimmy had said at the wedding reception, she knew she wanted to do something new with her life. That was why, when she had determined nobody was in sight, she slyly pulled out three letters from her purse under the counter. They were addressed to three different wizarding schools: Ilvermorny, Hogwarts, and Beauxbatons.

“Whatcha got there?”

Tina jumped and realized her boss, Mr. Bellibrooks, had suddenly appeared and was peering at her from a pair of large glasses. He had a comical-looking mustache and severe, piercing eyes. He was medium-height, stocky, and he was fifty-seven (though he acted as grumpy as a ninety-five-year-old man). She never understood how he could sneak up so quietly on her; she hadn’t even heard the bell ring or the sound of someone Apparating.

“Oh, nothing. Just some letters.”

She folded them back up, but she knew that he had probably seen who they were meant for.

“To wizarding schools?”

Even his voice sounded old.

“Yes.”

“Hmmm.”

He left her register without another word and went into the back room. Then, he poked his head out the door.

“Will Jadis be back soon?”

“She should be. Her break’s nearly over.”

“Alright.”

Tina hesitated before she left her register with the letters in her hand. She wandered to the back of the store where the Astronomy section was, pretending to check that the books were in order.

Instead, she read through the letters she had written yesterday to make sure that they were ready to be sent. The ones meant for Ilvermorny and Hogwarts were written in English, of course, but the letter addressed to Beauxbatons was written in French (Tina had chosen to learn French while she attended Ilvermorny).

Deeming the letters adequate, Tina returned to her register just as she heard the bell ring above the doorway. There was only one more hour until Tina could go home, so she spent it organizing shelves and helping customers.

As soon as four o’clock rolled around, Tina signed her time card and said goodbye to her manager, Jadis, before she picked up her purse and Disapparated. She took her usual route up to her apartment door, noticing that Mrs. Esposito didn’t yell down at her which meant that she must not have been home.

Tina made herself some coffee and sipped at it before she turned and saw Pan, her barn own, peering at her expectantly through the glass of one of the living room windows. He was earlier than usual since he routinely came back home at night, but she was glad to see him. He had been gone for a few days.

Tina hurried to the window and opened it; Pan fluttered in and landed on one of the tops of the dining room chairs. He stuck out his leg and Tina realized there was a postcard attached to it. She took it from Pan and gave him some water and food before she examined the postcard. The front was a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge and it was signed on the back by Queenie and Jacob after a brief, happy message. Tina smiled and set the postcard down on the table before she went into her bedroom to Pan’s cage. He was still enjoying his food as she spoke.

“Thanks, Pan. That was real sweet of you.”

The bird briefly lifted his head and hooted. Tina reached in through the still-open cage and stroked Pan’s feathers; she closed the door and decided to let him rest for a while before she would send him out with her letters.

Tina spent the next few hours reading, cleaning, and finding other things to do. She didn't really feel like going out even though it was a Saturday night; she was perfectly happy spending the night in, although she did miss having her sister's company. The past week had been extremely quiet which was difficult for her to adjust to. She was used to hearing Queenie hum while she sewed or laugh when she read something funny in a book.

Suddenly, she heard a knock. Wondering who had come to visit her, Tina answered it to see Mrs. Esposito at the door. She was an elderly, stout witch with curly hair and gray eyes. She was wearing a brown dress and she had an urgent look on her face.

“Have you seen Mr. Tubby?”

Mr. Tubby was Mrs. Esposito’s beloved cat who always seemed to be missing. She was constantly knocking on doors and asking if her fluffy, brown cat had been seen.

“No, I haven’t.”

“He’s been missing all afternoon,” Mrs. Esposito said urgently, peering past Tina’s shoulder into the apartment. Even though her cat was missing, that didn’t stop her from trying to snoop. She was always paranoid that everyone was hiding something from her.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t seen him,” Tina responded, “Do you want some help?”

“That’d be swell,” Mrs. Esposito replied, returning her gaze to Tina.

“Alright, I’ll put my shoes on. Give me just a minute.”

She left the door open and Mrs. Esposito came in, closing the door behind her. She looked around curiously as if she were taking in every detail. Tina went to her bedroom and put on her shoes.

“I see you received a postcard,” Mrs. Esposito remarked. Tina nodded.

“From Queenie and her husband, Jacob. They’re coming home tomorrow from their honeymoon.”

“That’s nice.”

Tina stood there awkwardly as Mrs. Esposito stalked around. She felt as if her apartment were being searched for compromising evidence.

“We missed you at the wedding.”

They hadn’t really, but Tina wanted to say something nice. She knew that Mrs. Esposito lived alone with only her cat since her husband had died ten years ago. Even though Tina and Queenie had never particularly liked Mrs. Esposito, they thought she was alright.

“You did? Well, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it. I had an event that day that I’d been planning on attending for several months.”

“That’s understandable,” Tina replied, inching toward the front door. She opened it up and gestured for Mrs. Esposito to lead the way out. The elderly lady did, though reluctantly.

“Now, where was the last place you saw Mr. Tubby?”

“In my place, sitting on my armchair.”

“Hmmm, well, I know the last time we found him, he was wandering around the first floor. Should we start there?”

“Alright,” Mrs. Esposito agreed and insisted on taking the stairs since it was possible he could be located somewhere there. Even though she was older, she wasn’t too slow walking down. Tina followed her.

“Mr. Tubby? Are you here, Mr. Tubby?” Tina called out. Mrs. Esposito remained silent. When they had reached the first floor, they walked around, searching for the cat, but together, they couldn’t find him.

“I’ll go ask some of the neighbors and you can keep looking around here,” Mrs. Esposito stated firmly. Tina nodded in agreement and left Mrs. Esposito to knock on doors.

“Mr. Tubby,” Tina called out softly. She hoped that he would show up soon so she could go upstairs and make dinner. She thought she saw the shadow of a cat slink around the corner of a row of doors, but it was just her imagination.

“Mr. Tubby!” Tina whisper-shouted.

“Are you lookin’ for someone?”

Startled, Tina turned around to see a handsome man. He was taller than her, had dark hair and dark eyes, and he seemed to be in his later 20s. He was also holding a bag of groceries. She laughed.

“Oh, just a cat.”

“Mr. Tubby?”

“Yes, Mr. Tubby.”

“Is he your cat?”

“Oh, no. He’s my neighbor’s. I’m just helping her look for him.”

“I have a cat too. Her name is Jingles.”

“That’s nice,” Tina responded. She didn’t know what else to say, so they fell silent. And then he asked the obvious question.

“What’s your name?”

“Oh,” Tina responded, embarrassed, “I’m Tina. Tina Goldstein. And you are?”

“Achilles Tolliver.”

They shook hands.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Tina stated with warmth.

“You too. You know, I just moved in a few weeks ago, but I think I’ve seen you around here. You and a blond girl who I assume is a friend or possibly your sister?”

“Yeah, that’s Queenie. She’s my sister. She used to be my roommate, but she recently got married.”

“Oh, congratulations to her,” Achilles responded.

“Yeah, it’s great,” Tina said. Her mind scrambled for something to say, but all she could think about was that she had been looking for a cat before and this guy was really cute. She knew that if Queenie had been there to witness the conversation, she would have lectured Tina on the art of flirting. A smile spread across his face and she wondered if he thought she was strange. Why couldn’t she speak?

“Well, I won’t keep you. Good luck with finding...Mr. Tubby, was it?”

“Yeah, Mr. Tubby.”

Somehow, his smile grew and he began to walk away.

“Thanks,” Tina said quietly to his retreating back, and then the spell broke and she realized what a hopeless case she was.

About ten minutes later, Mr. Tubby was found wandering around the elevator doors. Tina scooped him up, relieved, and proceeded back toward the last place she had seen Mrs. Esposito. The elderly woman had made it through five doors and gotten caught up in conversation with one of her friends, Mrs. Martinez.

“I found him,” Tina spoke up, interrupting the conversation. Mrs. Esposito gratefully accepted her cat.

“Where was he?”

“By the elevators,” Tina stated.

Mrs. Esposito stroked her cat fondly. Mr. Tubby purred.

“Thank you so much for your help, Tina.”

“No problem. Have a good night.

“You too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Phone Call

When Tina entered her apartment, she heard the telephone ringing. She hurried to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Teenie, how’re you doin’?”

Tina smiled, glad to hear her sister’s voice. They hadn’t spoken since the wedding reception.

“I’m fine. I just helped Mrs. Esposito find Mr. Tubby again.”

“Where was he this time?”

“By the elevators. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m great! We’ve had so much fun here. You really should visit San Francisco one day.”

“I got your postcard,” Tina stated happily.

“Yay! Pan showed up a few days ago. I think he might be able to read minds too since it was almost like he expected that I had something for you.”

Tina was suddenly reminded of when she had first gotten Pan; he had been a graduation gift from her aunt and uncle. Tina had been unsure what to name him, but Queenie had suggested Pan, inspired by the fictional character called Peter Pan. They had both read and loved the book about him when they were children.

Suddenly, Tina remembered the letters for the schools. She still hadn't told Queenie her plans.

“So, has anything exciting happened while we've been away?”

Tina adjusted the phone, trying to form an explanation in her head.

“Well, I wrote some letters asking about teaching positions at three schools.”

Queenie gasped in surprise as if she had never heard anything more astounding.

“Which schools?”

“Ilvermorny—although I doubt anything has opened up there since I last asked, Beauxbatons—which, you know, is in France, and Hogwarts.”

Queenie was silent on the other end.

“Queenie?” Tina asked, wondering if something was wrong with the connection.

“You told me about _Mr. Tubby_ before you even bothered to mention the schools?”

Tina shook her head and flicked her wand in the direction of the stove. A pot filled with water and began to boil.

“I forgot! And besides, nothing's happening yet. I'm just sending some letters.”

She added pasta to the pot.

“Is there anything else important you've forgotten to mention to me?”

Tina laughed at her sister who was obviously pretending to be deeply offended.

“I met someone while I was helping Mrs. Esposito: Achilles Tolliver. Does that name ring a bell?”

“Oh, sure! He's one of the Aurors at MACUSA. Does he live in the building?”

“Yeah, he told me he just moved in.”

There was a pause.

“And what do you think of him?” Queenie asked in a sly tone. Tina raised her eyebrows and thought briefly.

“Oh, um, he’s very nice.”

“And?”

She rolled her eyes, hearing the humor in her sister’s voice.

“You should ask him out,” Queenie blurted out.

“Are you crazy? I just met him.”

“So?”

“I don’t know him.”

“That’s why you ask people on dates, so you can get to know them better.”

Tina casted a spell to get the tomato sauce to begin heating up on the stove as she laughed.

“I’ve heard he’s really nice, Teen. Ask him if he’d like to get coffee. It could be more of a casual thing.”

Tina shook her head, amused. Queenie was beginning to sound like Aunt Leah, the self-acclaimed matchmaker.

“I’m not trying to be your matchmaker!” Queenie exclaimed. Tina chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the kind, encouraging comments!


	6. Job Offer

“Hello, Newt.”

Newt looked up from his tankard of butterbeer to see Albus Dumbledore standing in front of him with a twinkle in his eyes. The Three Broomsticks was practically empty with only a young woman working at the counter and an ancient-looking man in the corner of the room, guarding his pint as if it were a horde of treasure.

“Dumbledore,” Newt said in acknowledgment. The headmaster sat down across from him and Newt waited as the employee from the bar came to take his order. After Dumbledore’s Gillywater had been set down on the table in front of him and the headmaster had taken a drink, Newt spoke again.

“It’s been a while.”

Dumbledore nodded and Newt leaned forward in his chair, his gaze wandering around the room. It was warm inside (and outside), and he almost regretted choosing butterbeer as his beverage. It had been a surprise when Dumbledore had written and asked to meet at the inn. They had exchanged letters only a few times during the last five years.

Newt looked down at the wooden table and regarded the dark and light colors. He heard the door of the entrance open slowly with a subtle creak. The miser in the corner shifted.

“Am I correct in remembering that you’re nearly finished writing...what was it?... _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_...for the Ministry?”

“I’m not writing it for the Ministry, but they’ve been paying me to collect information about the creatures I meet since I work for the Beast division.” Newt explained as he played with his glass. “I was commissioned by Mr. Worme of Obscurus Books to write it.”

They both basked in the sounds of the establishment. The halting conversation between him and Dumbledore was comfortable instead of awkward.

“Will you be traveling any more in the near future?”

“I-I don’t suppose so. I’m focusing on finishing the manuscript.”

“Hmm. I heard you were in Africa recently.”

“Yes, I was studying Fwoopers there.” Newt paused, realizing that he had unconsciously reached down to check that his case was securely closed even though he had left it with Bunty, his assistant. He felt a stab of worry as he often did whenever he didn’t have his case with him, but was reminded of Bunty’s insistence that everything would be fine during his absence.

His tankard was empty, but Dumbledore’s glass was half-full. The Magizoologist had the feeling that he hadn’t been asked to join Dumbledore for a drink for no reason. After all, he hadn’t seen his old teacher for a year or two now and Dumbledore’s expression was too thoughtful for a casual conversation.

“How do you like being headmaster?”

“I like it very much. The only problem is that my staff always seems to need updating. I had two professors leave this past year—one for a job at the Ministry and the other for traveling.”

The headmaster folded his arms on top of the table.

“That’s unfortunate,” Newt replied.

“Yes, it is.” He paused then spoke again after at least twenty seconds had passed. “Well, you must be wondering why I’ve asked you to meet me here today.”

Newt nodded, confirming Dumbledore’s suspicion.

“There are two reasons: The first is that I simply wanted to see how you were doing and the second is that, like I mentioned before, I’m short two members of the staff at the moment: Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures. I need to hire individuals for these positions and you were the first person I thought of for the latter.”

The woman was back again. She peered down at Newt as she picked up his empty tankard. Newt stared at the headmaster, unable to contain his surprise.

“Another?” she asked.

“No, thank you,” Newt responded.

She left and Newt adjusted in his seat.

“You’re very talented, Newt,” Dumbledore stated. Newt glanced away, embarrassed by the compliment as he attempted to gather his thoughts. His initial response was to decline.

“I-I’m honored that you thought of me, sir, but I...don’t know if I’m the best candidate. I understand creatures but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I would be an effective...teacher.”

His gaze wandered up to the headmaster’s. The twinkling effect hadn’t left his eyes.

“You’re too modest.”

Two middle-aged women, one with brown hair and the other with purple hair, walked into the establishment wearing long cloaks despite the summer heat.

“Not modest, sir, just honest,” Newt mumbled in reply.

He observed the women for a few seconds, knowing that Dumbledore was doing the same with him. He peered down at the watch on his wrist, pretending to check the time. It didn’t have magical properties; it was a simple, Muggle watch he had been given by one of his friends in his seventh year: Jamison Fernsby.

“Says the man who, as a boy, used to badger other students with facts about dragons.” Dumbledore paused as Newt thought about this. “You’re an intelligent, empathetic person, Newt. I think you’d be brilliant and Hogwarts would be lucky to have you. Of course, this is a very sudden offer and I understand if you are too busy with finishing your manuscript to accept.”

He finished speaking and said no more, waiting for Newt’s verdict. Newt tapped his fingertip on the table a few times. He had never thought of himself as the type to become a teacher. After all, the thing he had feared most as a student was having to work a desk job one day. As if he had read his mind, Dumbledore spoke up.

“If this is about your fear of working at a desk, I would make sure there wouldn’t be one in your classroom or in your office if that would help.” Dumbledore smiled. The corners of Newt’s mouth lifted slightly.

For some reason, his initial hesitancy was ebbing away. Yes, he had never thought of himself as the sort of person to become a teacher, but why not? He wasn’t going to be traveling for a while since he was close to entering the editing stage of his manuscript, and he had never liked living in London in the first place.

He would have the opportunity to share his enthusiasm for magical creatures with young students.

Well, he shared his enthusiasm with nearly everyone he met anyway, but if he became a professor, he would get paid to do so.

“I would like a day or two to decide, I mean, if that’s possible. I-I know you have to hire someone soon.”

“Of course.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes, Dumbledore with a comfortable countenance and Newt with an unsure one. The Magizoologist tried to think of what to say, but nothing came to mind. However, it was at that moment that Dumbledore rose from his seat.

“I’ve enjoyed seeing you again, Newt. I wish I could stay, but sadly, I have some things I need to do back at the school.”

“I should be leaving as well,” Newt responded quietly.

They both left some money on the table and walked to the front door together. Outside, the heat had cooled slightly, but it was still uncomfortably warm.

“How is Miss Lestrange, may I ask?”

Newt looked away and shuffled his feet.

“I believe she is fine. I haven’t heard from her lately.”

They heard the sound of an owl’s wings flapping above them. Newt peered up to see a barn owl which appeared to be flying in the direction of Hogwarts.

“Hmm, well, good evening, Newt. Thank you for meeting me here. I’ll be expecting your owl.”

“Goodbye, sir.”

Dumbledore hurried away, but Newt continued to stand near the entrance of the inn, thinking about the job offer.


	7. Early in the Morning

Tina woke up to the faint sound of tapping. She groaned and yelled uselessly.

“Whoever’s doin’ that, knock it off!”

The tapping continued. It sounded like it was coming from the living room. Half-asleep, Tina groaned again, not wanting to get out of bed. She lifted her head slightly off her pillow. The sun wasn’t even up yet (the sky was tinged blue), but the tapping would not stop. Tina sighed and slowly sat up, wrapping her comforter around her shoulders. She glanced at her alarm clock before she grabbed her wand from her bedside table, turned on the light, and stumbled out of her bedroom, nearly tripping on nothing but air.

“What is that?” she muttered groggily. She attempted to listen and decided it was coming from one of the windows. She drew the curtains aside and glared at an unknown owl pecking at the glass. It hooted and flapped its wings, obviously irritated.

“ _You’re_ annoyed? You’re not the one who just got woken up. It’s not even six thirty!”

Despite her irritation, Tina set her wand down on a nearby table and opened the window. The bird fluttered inside. It was a handsome barn owl with dark, piercing eyes. Seeing the bird reminded Tina of Pan whom she hadn’t seen since she sent him out with her letters. Finally, her blurry eyes adjusted to the lighting and she realized there was a letter attached to its leg. The blanket fell from her shoulders. Tina’s eyes widened and she untied the letter from the owl’s leg.

She noticed the wax seal on the letter (the crest of Beauxbatons) and anxiously began to open the envelope. She pulled out the letter and unfolded it, wide awake now. However, her excitement faded as she read it. Beauxbatons regretfully informed her that they had already hired new teachers for the school year and they no longer had any positions open. Tina frowned and set the letter down next to her wand.

The owl hooted, drawing Tina’s attention to see that it was perched on the back of the couch looking at her.

“You want some food and water?” Tina spoke to it.

After she had helped it into Pan’s cage and given it some food and water, Tina went back into the living room to retrieve her blanket. She had already been rejected by Ilvermorny a few days ago and now Beauxbatons didn’t want her either. Tina flopped down onto the couch and arranged her blanket around her, her eyes heavy, but her disappointment keeping her awake.

Maybe she shouldn’t have studied to become a teacher. She had also considered becoming an Auror during her last year at Ilvermorny, but she had decided that teaching kids would be more fun than chasing criminals. Tina had adored several of her teachers during her school years and they had inspired her to want to become a teacher herself.

Tina bit her lip and emptily looked at the floor, lost in her thoughts.

If she wanted to stay in her current apartment, she had to get a better job or get a roommate. When it had been Queenie living there too, they hadn’t had many financial problems, but it was just Tina now. She couldn’t stay in the job she had and she no longer wanted to anyway. It was time for a change. Uncle Jimmy had inspired her to grasp for what she had always wanted to do.

Tina closed her eyes and waited in vain for sleep to visit her again.

What seemed like just a few minutes later, she heard more tapping coming from the same window as before. Tina bolted upright and awkwardly stood up, tripping on the blanket which partly trailed from the couch to the floor. Pan had returned!

Tina opened the window for the second time, her hands shaking from excitement. There, on Pan’s leg, was a letter adorned with a Hogwarts crest wax seal. She struggled to open it.

She almost didn’t want to read it. What if it was simply another rejection? There had to be other options if that was the case. Perhaps she could be some sort of a private tutor?

She wrenched the letter out of the envelope, her heart beating quickly and took a deep breath before she unfolded the parchment and read the contents.

By the time she had finished the letter, a triumphant grin had brightened her face.


	8. Preparations

“You can go home now, Bunty.”

Newt had just barely registered that his assistant was still hovering near him while he checked the baby Nifflers even though he had told her to go twenty minutes ago. He never understood why she was always so hesitant to leave. Newt glanced up at her after he had deemed the Nifflers healthy and stood. He walked through the basement with Bunty at his heels.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything you need me to do? After all, you’ll be gone in just a month and—”

“Don’t you worry about us, Bunty. You’ve been a brilliant assistant,” Newt responded as he stopped at a table and consulted a notebook filled with his scribbled handwriting, “but we’re fine.”

Bunty certainly had a knack for Magizoology which was why Newt was disappointed that she would no longer be his assistant by the end of next month. Until then, they had been doing all they could to enlarge the suitcase to accommodate all of the creatures in Newt’s basement who would be joining the inhabitants of his case.

“Perhaps it would be easier if the kelpie stayed here?” Bunty spoke up, “I could watch over—”

“Oh, no, he couldn’t bear to leave even one beast behind.”

Newt looked up, not even startled, but Bunty jumped. Theseus, Newt’s older brother, was descending the steps behind Bunty who stepped aside to let him pass. He was wearing a nice suit and he had a confident air about him.

“I’m right, aren’t I, Professor Scamander?”

“Hullo, Theseus,” Newt responded as he closed his notebook and set it back on the table. He looked up distractedly to see Theseus raise his eyebrows at him and glance toward Bunty. Newt frowned in confusion.

“Hello, I’m Bunty Tumbler, Newt’s assistant,” Bunty stated eagerly, marching forward to shake Theseus’ hand.

“I’m Theseus, Newt’s brother. Have you been his assistant for long?”

“Oh, not really. We both work in the Beast division at the Ministry and we’ve been friends for a while, but I’ve only been assisting him for a month or so.”

Newt heard snatches of their polite conversation for a few minutes longer but didn’t pay much attention. He was caught up in his notebook again, composing a list even though he despised the practice.

“Newt?”

He looked up at the sound of Bunty’s voice saying his name.

“I’m leaving now. I’ll come here the same time tomorrow?”

“Er, that’s fine. Thank you very much for your help, Bunty. Goodnight.”

After she had left, Newt scribbled a few more words and looked up at his brother who was observing him.

“So, are you two...together?” Theseus asked, his tone casual.

“What?” Newt questioned. He wondered if Theseus was speaking about Leta, but he was sure that he had told his brother that he was no longer in a relationship with her.

“You and Bunty.”

Newt blinked, trying to understand what had put that thought into Theseus’ mind.

“No, Bunty and I are not in a romantic relationship.”

Theseus approached the table with an amused look.

“She likes you. I hope you can see that.”

“I would hope she likes me. Otherwise, we probably wouldn’t be friends.”

Theseus chuckled briefly and shook his head. Newt frowned, his gaze wandering as Theseus cleared his throat and spoke again.

“So, Professor Scamander, you’ll be off to Hogwarts soon. You’ll be the best teacher there by far.”

Newt shook his head.

“I just hope I’ll be a decent one.”

Theseus didn’t say anything as Newt mulled over his own words. Crushing doubt had been lingering in his thoughts during every preparation he made, and now, he wasn’t sure why he had ever agreed to take the job. He could only imagine himself stuttering his way through torturous lessons day after day until Dumbledore sacked him halfway through the year.

“Newt, could you describe the usual habitat of a Grindylow to me?”

The Magizoologist hesitated only briefly, not even really wondering at the question, then launched into an explanation about how Grindylows could be located in the weed beds at the bottoms of (often), still lakes. His detailed description somehow lasted for two full minutes before Newt began to relate an anecdote about his first interaction with a Grindylow. Theseus interrupted.

“You have nothing to worry about, little brother.”

Newt didn’t know what to say, but he felt slightly better after hearing his brother’s words. He noticed Theseus’ eyes scan the table and land on a framed picture of Leta still left out. Newt had thought about putting it away several times but had not yet been able to do so. It had sat there or in his case for years now and packing it away would be too painful to do yet.

Theseus cleared his throat and glanced away, his expression unreadable to Newt. The Magizoologist wondered if Theseus thought it was stupid to still have the picture, but Theseus said nothing about it. His gaze returned to Newt’s.

“Well, I just came to say congratulations. I must get going or I’ll be late.”

“Late for what?”

Theseus seemed to search for something to say, his expression grim, but his voice joking when he finally spoke.

“A date with Bunty. I hope you don’t mind.”

The corners of Newt’s mouth lifted slightly and he shook his head.

“Very funny.”


	9. Will You Accept the Position?

August 1957

Tina stood in front of the wrought iron gates, her throat in her stomach and her face grimly set. Hogwarts was bigger than she had ever imagined it. It was astounding to think that she would possibly be teaching here beginning September first. She saw someone suddenly walk out of the front doors of the castle, a pointed hat on their head. As they drew closer, it became obvious that the person was a woman and she was wearing emerald green robes. As she approached, Tina could see that the woman had brown hair, bespectacled eyes, and the straight line of an often unamused mouth.

“Are you Miss Porpentina Goldstein?”

Tina nodded emphatically, lost for words.

“Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Minerva McGonagall. I'll be taking you up to meet the headmaster.”

The woman raised her wand and muttered a spell; the gate made a strange, creaking noise like it was stretching after a long nap. It opened and Minerva McGonagall beckoned her to cross into the school grounds. They conversed very little as they walked along the path.

“You're a teacher here?”

“Yes. I teach Transfiguration.”

“Oh! I loved Transfiguration when I was in school. It was one of my favorite classes.”

Professor McGonagall didn't respond to the enthusiasm, but her expression became less grim. Tina noticed that there were dark circles under the woman’s eyes which caused her to believe that the Transfiguration professor was exhausted. Tina lapsed into silence as they approached the front doors a few minutes later and proceeded inside. She turned in a full circle and gazed at the wonder before her; she had forgotten what it felt like to be in a magical school, but the feeling was coming back to her. Professor McGonagall led the way up a few sets of stairs and Tina gasped loudly on one of the staircases as the steps beneath her feet began to move. However, Professor McGonagall simply paused and waited for the stairs to halt; she didn't comment on Tina's surprise.

Several winding staircases and hallways later, Professor Mcgonnagal paused in front of a large stone gargoyle.

“Nurgardmen,” McGonagall stated. Tina frowned, confused by the nonsense word, but she realized that the gargoyle had moved aside and a circular, moving staircase was beginning to unwind.

“His office is at the top.”

The Transfiguration teacher walked away without another word, leaving Tina alone at the foot of the steps. She took in several deep breaths, realizing what she was about to do and who she was about to meet before she proceeded forward. At the top, she approached the door and knocked. A voice told her to go in.

When she entered, a wave of panic flooded her body as she made eye contact with the man who would be interviewing her.

“Hello, sir, I’m Tina Goldstein.”

Albus Dumbledore stood up and Tina walked over to shake his hand.

“Ah, yes. Very pleased to meet you. I’m Albus Dumbledore.”

Tina gazed at Professor Dumbledore in reverence, knowing that he was the man who had defeated Grindelwald (one of the darkest wizards to ever live), in a duel in 1945. She took in his appearance (he wore lilac-colored robes), and the atmosphere of his office, coming to the conclusion that he was a nice, bookish man. There were distracting, silver instruments scattered throughout the room, shelves filled with books, portraits of (obviously) important people, and there was a small bowl of candy sitting on his desk.

Dumbledore smiled slightly and gestured to a chair in front of his desk before he sat down.

“Lemon drop?”

“Oh, no, thank you,” Tina responded, settling into the seat. Dumbledore shrugged and helped himself to one of the candies before he sat back in his chair.

“I hope you had no trouble with your transportation.”

Dumbledore had arranged Portkeys for Tina to take from the Portkey office in New York to the Portkey office in Hogsmeade. After the interview, she would be heading back to the office in Hogsmeade to go back home. She knew that it was difficult to arrange Portkeys between different countries sometimes, so she was grateful that everything had worked out.

“Everything was fine, thank you very much,” she replied in what she hoped was a pleasant tone. He nodded slowly and there was a brief pause between them as if he were giving her time to let her calm down. She wondered if he could see how nervous she was.

“Please tell me about yourself, Miss Goldstein.”

Tina thought of the reply she had prepared beforehand and launched into her answer.

“Well, I’m from New York and I attended Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After I graduated, I was able to participate in a teaching assistant program at Ilvermorny. In the beginning, I mostly observed how the teachers taught and I helped the classes to run smoothly, but near the end of my two years, I taught a few classes a week. After I finished the program, I was hired at a wizarding bookstore called Bellibrooks’ Books where I’m currently employed.”

Tina finished speaking and regretted how rehearsed her speech sounded. She stopped herself from frowning and attempted to make herself seem more confident by sitting up straighter and keeping a neutral, yet friendly face. Dumbledore nodded slowly, his expression encouraging.

“And why do you want to be a professor?”

Tina breathed in slowly and exhaled quietly; her hands were on the verge of shaking. Over Dumbledore’s shoulder was a window with a view of the lovely school grounds bathed in sunlight. She imagined how the property might look like during the school year with students roaming about, chattering with each other. She imagined herself walking through the maze-like school, easily navigating the hallways. She could see herself teaching classes in a brightly-lit classroom and the idea gave her a slight jolt of courage.

Oh, Mercy Lewis, she wanted the job.

“I want to be a teacher because I’ve always loved to learn. I had several amazing teachers at Ilvermorny who I looked up to; especially my Defense Against the Dark Arts professors. One of my favorite teachers, Mr. Dalstrom, constantly encouraged me whenever I struggled with spells he taught in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He showed me the importance of hard work and dedication.” Tina paused, unsure what else to say. “I want to help students to become the best wizards or witches that they can be.”

She could hardly even remember what she had mumbled about because her mind had been racing to say something coherent. Had what she said made sense? Had her response been too simple and obvious?

She didn’t know if it was due to the happy lighting of the room, but the headmaster’s eyes seemed to dance with energy. His smile appeared more established than it had been earlier.

“Why do you want to teach at Hogwarts?”

Obviously, she couldn’t say that this was the only school so far that had even agreed to possibly hiring her. Tina’s thoughts scurried. Would anything she’d say be a good enough reason?

“I know that Hogwarts has a great reputation for education in the wizarding community and I believe that I would be a valuable asset to this school.”

Tina smiled slightly, sure that this (somewhat articulate) answer had to be satisfactory. Dumbledore nodded slowly, observing Tina who waited for him to speak again. Thirty unbearable seconds passed before he did.

“Miss Goldstein, I believe you are correct.”

She blinked a few times, unable to understand what he was saying.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m correct about…?” She trailed off. She had expected him to ask another question.

“I would like you to teach here in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.”

As the words sunk in and he continued to speak, mentioning what the schedule and the pay would be like if she accepted, a grin covered her face. The interview couldn’t have lasted more than a few minutes, but now, it seemed to be over. She spoke in a confused, happy tone.

“You don’t want to ask me more interview questions?”

“Do you want me to ask more interview questions?” Dumbledore asked, amused. He picked up another candy from the bowl in front of him. Tina shook her head in a daze.

“No, sir.”

“I apologize, but I do have to ask at least one more: will you accept the position?”

Tina exhaled all of the emotions she had been feeling and inhaled excitement.

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

Dumbledore chuckled.

“Well, let’s discuss the details.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to say thank you again for all of the kind comments and kudos! Your interest in the story is so encouraging and I really appreciate the fact that anyone would take the time to read what I write. I'm really enjoying writing this story. More to come!


	10. At the Ministry

It was overwhelmingly loud in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic as Newt proceeded into the crowded lift. He grimaced as the doors clanged shut and the smell of some sort of vegetable pervaded the air. Why the lift always smelled like boiled vegetables, he never knew. All that he was sure of was that the Ministry of Magic was one of the places he disliked most in the world.

When the lift finally reached the floor where Theseus’ office could be located, Newt hurried out, glad to be rid of the crowded space.

Theseus had sent an owl earlier that morning, asking Newt if he’d like to have an early lunch together. Newt had been surprised by the offer (he didn’t usually spend much time with Theseus due to their conflicting schedules), but he had accepted right away.

“Oh, hello, Newt.”

Newt halted in his tracks and drew his hand back quickly. He had been about to knock on the door to Theseus’ office, but Leta Lestrange had exited from said door before he could do so. A small smile played at her lips—the one he knew she only showed when she was nervous.

For some reason, he was reminded of a distinct memory: he had been walking around the lake at Hogwarts with Leta during the end of their first year, the sun beating down on them. They had skipped stones that afternoon, exchanging shy smiles in a comfortable silence.

“Hello,” Newt mumbled, flustered. He looked away from her like she was the blindingly brilliant sun and stepped back, allowing more space between them.

“How are you?” she asked.

It took a few seconds for him to reply.

“S-same as usual.” The stutter betrayed him.

She winced at the sound of his voice. Newt wondered if she was thinking about the night she had broken up with him…

“Newt, we need to talk.”

He had looked down at the tabletop in the restaurant, anxiety coursing through him. Leta had waited a long time as if she wanted him to speak first. He didn’t and he heard her hesitate.

“You’re never here in London. You’re always off somewhere else.”

He looked up at this and saw her purse her lips. The words sounded tiny coming from her. He had never seen her appear so defeated.

“L-Leta—”

“No, Newt, let me finish.”

Her voice was icy all of a sudden which startled him.

“I can’t continue doing this. Writing letters back and forth is driving me mad.”

“W-we’ve been together for two years.”

Leta shook her head and peered at him sadly.

“You’ve been in London for three months out of those two years.”

Newt swallowed, thinking about it. He realized that she was probably right. The uncomfortable minutes passed between them.

“I can stay more often, Leta.”

A sad laugh escaped her.

“It shouldn’t have to be a favor, Newt.”

He couldn’t think of what to say. Every time he attempted to begin a sentence, he stuttered and trailed off. Leta’s head was bowed, her countenance disappointed instead of upset. She finally stood, pecking him on the cheek, and muttered something about being friends before she left.

It had taken so few minutes to end the relationship and Newt hadn’t fought at all. He would not look up from the table as he asked himself why he hadn’t begged her to stay.

Newt was drawn back to the present by the sound of Leta’s voice in the hallway.

“Theseus just told me you’re going to be a professor at Hogwarts,” Leta spoke, her tone positive. He simply nodded.

“I’m happy for you.”

Newt nodded again. This was not what he had been expecting to happen this morning. If he had expected it, he would have been less unsettled.

“It should be a very interesting experience,” he spoke and smiled nervously which seemed to calm her. She tucked away a stray hair before speaking again.

“Credence will be starting this year. You’ll have to keep an eye out for him.”

He nodded, remembering Leta’s brother and he glanced away. Leta hesitated.

“Travers sent me to ask Theseus a question just now. That’s why I was in there.”

Newt didn’t know what to say to that. It was a strange, hurried remark like she’d been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to be doing. He glanced up and saw her blush.

“Well, good luck Newt. I’ll see you around.”

She was gone so quick, Newt wondered if she had Disapparated, but when he turned around, he saw her retreating down the hallway. The tension left his body as he puzzled over what had just happened between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that these chapters of exposition aren't moving too slowly for you guys—there's so much I feel the need to include. In chapter 12, we'll be heading to Hogwarts. Thanks again for reading!


	11. The Party

“She’s here!”

“Quick, hide!”

“Turn the lights off!”

“I don’t think turning the lights off would be less of a giveaway, hon.”

Tina stood at the front door, listening to the faint voices coming from inside Jacob and Queenie’s apartment. She hadn’t even knocked yet, but the door swung open anyway and Queenie dragged Tina into the still-lit room.

“Now!” Queenie exclaimed. Tina began to speak.

“Queenie, it’s not really—”

“Happy birthday!” Several voices shouted. Tina couldn’t help but laugh as she saw Jacob, Uncle Jimmy, and Aunt Leah appear. It seemed that her aunt and uncle had used spells to make themselves invisible while Jacob had hidden behind the couch. Aunt Leah rushed over and enveloped Tina into a suffocating hug. As they let go of each other, a hint of embarrassment tinged Tina’s cheeks. She had expected that this dinner was for her birthday, but she hadn’t expected them to act as though the whole thing was a surprise.

“Twenty-three, twenty-three...seems just like yesterday...,” her aunt muttered as if she were pondering over her own age as well as Tina’s.

“Oh, I invited Achilles,” Queenie mentioned lightheartedly as everyone settled down.

“Achilles as in the Achilles who lives in my building?” Tina asked in confusion.

“Yeah, we’ve become friends and I thought he’d like to come since he knows you too.”

Tina raised her eyebrows at her sister, scrutinizing her. The word ‘matchmaker’ came to her mind which caused Queenie to peer at Tina pointedly as if to say ‘I am not’.

“Achilles? Who’s this Achilles?”

Aunt Leah had butted into the conversation while Jacob and Uncle Jimmy conversed on the couch. Tina’s eyes snapped to Queenie’s, begging her not to give Aunt Leah false hope.

“Oh, just a friend,” Queenie responded breezily.

Before Aunt Leah could ask anything else, Queenie called for Jacob so they could get everything ready for dinner. Tina talked to her aunt about her interview at Hogwarts, subconsciously admiring the apartment.

The living space was cheery and lightly-painted. The kitchen/dining room contained a shelf of Muggle and wizarding cookbooks, worn out appliances, and chairs surrounding a pretty pine table already set with plates and cutlery. The living room was littered with mismatched furniture, a few framed pictures, and a single bookcase. The atmosphere was warmly welcoming and shabby—what else could you expect from the home of a newly-married couple?

There was a knock at the door and Queenie asked Tina to open it. Achilles Tolliver was holding a small bouquet of flowers.

“Happy birthday. These are for you.” He smiled, offering her the gift; the pink roses smelled heavenly.

“Thank you so much,” Tina responded in embarrassment as she took them and Queenie called for him to come in. She stepped aside and listened as Achilles and Queenie chattered happily. It wasn’t long before Queenie drew Tina into the conversation as well.

“This is sort of like a birthday party and a going away party. Teen’s going to be teaching at Hogwarts!”

“Really? Which subject?” he asked interestedly.

“Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Tina responded.

Feeling her aunt’s gaze on her and Achilles, Tina backed out of the conversation and joined Jacob and Uncle Jimmy.

When dinner was ready, Tina sat next to Achilles. She noticed that Uncle Jimmy had brought his usual newspaper (it was lying on the table), but he wasn’t reading it. He beamed at Tina when he noticed that she had glanced at him.

“I’m proud of you, Tina,” he stated. She felt the words wash over her and leave her feeling lighter.

The party was mostly spent visiting and eating the delicious dinner and dessert that Queenie and Jacob had made. Tina spoke with Achilles who described what it was like to be an Auror which she found fascinating. Although she liked him, she was constantly speechless; unsure of what to say except for which questions to ask next. His confident mannerisms made her nervous. However, he didn’t seem to mind. He was eager to share anecdotes and make her laugh.

After the chocolate cake had been consumed, Achilles said that he had to go to a meeting at MACUSA. Tina walked him to the door, sure that her aunt or Queenie (or possibly both), were stealing glances in their direction.

“Good luck with teaching. Maybe we could get coffee together sometime when you’re back in New York.”

She smiled in a way that she hoped conveyed her enthusiasm for the idea.

“That sounds great.”

He grinned in return.

“Happy birthday. Have a good night.”

“Thank you. You too.”

As soon as he had left, Tina joined her family, unable to meet the eyes of those at the table.

After Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Leah had left as well (“Achilles was absolutely charming! Wasn’t he handsome, Tina?”), Tina was given a wrapped present from Jacob and Queenie. She was already sure what it was.

“Agatha Christie books.”

“Teen, just open it.” Queenie laughed.

Tina unwrapped it and there were two Agatha Christie books inside: _The Murder of Roger Ackroyd_ and _And Then There Were None_.

“Thank you. You didn’t have to get me anything.”

Queenie rolled her eyes at the ridiculous idea and hugged her sister. Tina offered to help clean up, but Queenie threatened her with a hex if she so much as touched a dirty plate.

She left soon after, promising to call Queenie the next day.

After she had Disapparated, she paused outside of her building and sat on the steps. The happy, carefree feeling she had developed during dinner was fading away.

August twentieth, the day after Tina’s birthday, was the anniversary of her parents’ death.

Tina had just barely turned twelve and (due to dragonpox), her parents had been taken away from her; gone as quick as the flames on the candles she had blown out on her cake the day before.

Nobody had talked about the anniversary at dinner because nobody liked to remember that difficult time. It was strange to think that her mom and dad had been out of her life nearly as long as they had been in it. Time had helped to numb the pain, but still, Tina didn’t usually like her birthdays which was why Queenie always endeavored to make them special.

While she sat on the steps, Tina wondered what her parents would have thought of her if they were still alive.

She hoped that they would have been proud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for posting a day late. I was busy with homework and wasn't able to finish this chapter until today. Thank you for your patience and your kind comments. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :) Edit: I might not be able to post during the coming week because my schedule is busy. Apologies again!


	12. Introductions

Newt observed his work with pride, sure that the classroom was ready for the third year lessons he would teach. It wasn’t nearly as large as the interior of his suitcase, but it was the perfect size for what he had planned. He had decided that he would spend his first lesson ever (with a group of Gryffindor and Slytherin third years), teaching about Bowtruckles. The classroom was no longer what it had once been; now, it was a forest of Wiggentrees.

When he had arrived in Hogsmeade by the Knight Bus, he hadn’t wasted any time hurrying up to the castle. He was more excited to teach than he had ever been about attending his classes during his time as a student at Hogwarts. All he would have to do was talk about magical creatures; why had he ever been worried about this before?

Feeling happier than he had during the last few months, Newt had decided to take a stroll around the grounds when he felt a squirming in the front pocket of his shirt. Pickett the Bowtruckle was endeavoring to abandon him for the new environment. He chattered excitedly and Newt helped Pickett out before setting him on a low branch of the closest tree.

“I’ll go get the others as well,” he muttered before he heard Pickett protest. Taking pity on the small creature, Newt responded. “Alright, but only until I come back.”

He left Pickett alone to explore the classroom and wandered through the homemade forest before exiting. He heard the sound of footsteps coming from his left. A woman with short, dark hair whom he had never met before was walking in his direction. She seemed to be about his age.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but do you know where the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom is? I’m sort of lost.”

Newt gazed at her, noticing that she was very pretty, before he looked over her left shoulder, unable to meet her eyes.

“Erm, j-just around the corner in that direction.” He nodded toward where she had come from. “It’s the first door on the left.”

Her features relaxed and she exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Thank you so much. Minerva showed me when I first got here, but, you know, moving staircases.”

She lifted her hands up before letting them fall back to her sides. He didn’t know how to answer so he nodded.

“Oh, I’m Tina Goldstein by the way.”

She held her hand out and he shook it, still avoiding making eye contact.

“Newt Scamander.”

“It’s nice to meet you. What subject do you teach?”

“Care of Magical Creatures.”

“Have you taught here long?”

“Um, n-no, I’ve just been hired,” Newt mumbled. He noticed that her lips were turned up into half a smile.

“Me too—I mean—if that wasn’t already obvious.”

“You’re from America,” he observed aloud.

“Yeah, New York.”

“You came from all the way across the pond just to teach here,” he said, smiling while looking at his feet. Had that sounded weird?

“I just came for the moving stairs.”

That caused him to finally meet her gaze which shimmered with humor. Newt cleared his throat.

“W-well, I hope you’re satisfied with them.” He cringed inwardly at his remark and decided to make his escape. “I should be going.” He had already taken a step back.

“Alright, I’ll see you around. Thank you, again.”

“You’re welcome.”

He fled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience! Last week was a bit busy, but I'll try my best to continue to update regularly. I know this chapter is very short, but it was fun to write. More to come!


	13. Start-of-Term Feast

September 1957

Tina looked upon the scene in fascination, watching as the eleven-year-olds nervously approached the Sorting Hat. She remembered when she’d been sorted into Ilvermorny; she had waited for what seemed like forever until the wooden carving of the Thunderbird beat its wings, accepting her into its house.

“Kinsey, Avery!”

A short, blonde girl tripped several times on her way to the hat. She was declared a Slytherin which caused her to exhibit more confidence as she bounded to the table of cheering students. As she observed each of the four tables, Tina wondered which house she would have been sorted into if she had attended Hogwarts.

“Lestrange, Credence!”

A boy with pale skin, dark hair, and a sullen expression jumped at the sound of his name being exclaimed by Professor McGonagall. He looked as if he wanted to run out of the room. All eyes were on him as he slowly approached the Sorting Hat and Professor McGonagall slipped it onto his head. The boy was shaking as it covered his eyes. It was a full minute before the hat made its decision.

“Slytherin!”

He tore the hat off and practically ran away from the stool to the table of (once again) cheering students.

There were empty seats on either side of Tina. She knew that Minerva would sit in the chair on her left when the Sorting was finished, but she wasn’t sure who was supposed to be seated on her right. She looked up and down the staff table, trying to see if Newt Scamander, whom she had met the day before, was in attendance. He was not, however.

More first years were called forward. Howard Martinez became a Ravenclaw. Edna Parker was pronounced a Hufflepuff and so was Tara Thornthistle.

“Weasley, Walter!”

A boy with red hair and a sense of self-assurance strode up to the hat before being sorted into Gryffindor.

After the Sorting, the feast began and Tina noticed the Care of Magical Creatures professor sneak into the room. He quietly took his seat next to Tina. She hesitated before she spoke.

“Hello.”

He seemed surprised to realize that he was being addressed by her.

“Oh, hello,” he responded as Minerva joined the staff table as well. Tina watched as he hesitated as if he were on the brink of continuing into a conversation, but he didn't say anything more. He wouldn't look at her, but that didn’t stop her from trying to be friendly.

“You missed the Sorting,” she mentioned as she piled mashed potatoes onto her plate and the man next to her scooped up some green beans.

“I was feeding the Graphorns and lost track of time.”

Her eyes widened as she looked over at him.

“Graphorns?”

He nodded. She wanted him to elaborate but he didn't seem to feel the need to. She had heard of Graphorns before but she didn't know that there were some living at Hogwarts. His plate full of food, he began to eat, apparently unaware of the confusion Tina was feeling. It was a few minutes before she worked up the courage to inquire further.

“Does Hogwarts have many magical creatures?”

He was the opposite of a self-conscious eater; his movements and chewing were hurried as if he were late for something important. She wondered why he didn’t meet her gaze.

“I know the forbidden forest does. The Graphorns live in my case,” he replied around a mouthful of food. He was nearly finished with half of his meal and Tina had hardly eaten any of hers.

“Your case?”

“Yes, my suitcase.”

Intrigued, she was about to ask what he meant, but he was suddenly drawn into a conversation about dragons with a large, bearded man on his right. Tina didn’t know who the man was, but he seemed ecstatic to be talking to the Care of Magical Creatures teacher. As she was puzzling over Newt Scamander’s reserved behavior and language, the sound of Minerva McGonagall’s voice distracted her.

“Are you sure, Beatrice?”

“Quite sure. Didn’t you read _The Daily Prophet_?”

“Not recently.”

Minerva’s voice was solemn but firm. The witch named Beatrice (a middle-aged woman with a large nose, dirty nails, and a large hat covering her dark hair), noticed Tina gazing in their direction.

“Didn’t you hear either?”

“About what?” Tina asked.

Beatrice shook her head in exasperation at the cluelessness of her coworkers.

“The impersonation at Nurmengard. Grindelwald himself nearly escaped.”

Tina’s eyes widened and her mouth parted slightly.

“Oh, I’m Beatrice Fir by the way.”

“I’m Tina Goldstein.”

“Pleasure.”

Beatrice took a bite of mashed potatoes and waved her fork in the air as she finished chewing.

“Nobody is exactly sure how he did it, but the _Prophet_ says that some of his followers could be on the inside.”

Minerva set her cutlery down on her plate. She had hardly touched her meal and her voice sounded weary all of a sudden.

“Well, obviously. The only people sentenced to Nurmengard are those who were part of his movement before he was defeated by Albus.”

Beatrice blinked at the response and went on anyway.

“Someone _outside_ of Nurmengard. Not all of them were imprisoned.”

Tina looked up the table to see Dumbledore who was deep in conversation with a bald man with nervous, shaking hands. She wondered if the headmaster knew about the news concerning Grindelwald. What would happen if the dark wizard did escape?

* * *

 

“Have yeh ever met an Acromantula?”

Newt noticed Hagrid's eyes were sparkling with enthusiasm.

“I haven't, but I'd love to someday.”

Hagrid fondly shook his mane of bushy hair before his voice hushed into a tone of reverence.

“Beau’iful creatures, they are. There're some in the forbidden forest I keep me eye on. I’m close friends with one of them—Aragog's 'is name.”

Newt's eyes widened like Christmas morning had come.

“Really? I didn't know there were Acromantulas in the forest.”

“Oh, yeah. Very friendly; it's a shame mos’ wizards don’ think so. I could take yeh to meet 'im sometime.”

“That would be brilliant,” Newt replied enthusiastically. He grinned, glad that he'd gone to the feast. A part of him had wanted to stay with his creatures, but the Hogwarts food had convinced him to change his mind.

Newt talked about the book he was writing until dessert appeared and everyone dug in. It wasn't until after Dumbledore’s traditional speech and the students had been dismissed that Newt caught sight of a familiar, young boy; Leta’s brother. He appeared to be part of the Slytherin crowd moving away from the tables.

Watching the students leave, he couldn’t help but contemplate over how much time had passed and what that time had brought. He’d never thought he’d return to Hogwarts as a professor, yet here he was.

After he left the Great Hall, he made sure his classroom was ready for lessons the next day, then went to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I've been focusing on my other Newtina fic (Retrouvailles), so that's why I haven't been updating this one lately. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)


	14. Lesson (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school year begins.

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw first years streamed through the hallway toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Tina stood outside the door, smiling and saying hello to everyone. The reciprocated greetings she received varied; some were enthusiastic, while others were hesitant.  
When she saw no more first years in the hallway, she took a steadying breath and went into the classroom, closing the door behind her. A low rumble of voices masked her footsteps as she approached the other end of the room; however, they stopped as she faced the group. She swallowed and shifted her feet before she spoke in a loud voice.  
“Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts, everyone. My name is Professor Goldstein.” Tina pointed her wand at the chalkboard next to her desk, causing a piece of chalk to write her name before it went back to its place. “I’m from America—New York, actually—and I went to Ilvermorny which is where I also learned how to teach.”  
A few of the kids were whispering to each other. She cleared her throat and continued.  
“In this class, we will learn the basic spells which every witch and wizard should know. Just to name a few, we’ll be learning how to cast green and red sparks, the wand-lighting and wand-extinguishing charms, and we will also go over disarming. Do you all have a copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection?”  
They nodded. Some began to pull out their books.  
“Great. We won’t need those every day so I’ll let you know beforehand when you need to bring them.”  
She sat on top of the desk and reached for the class list. She took roll, and by the time she finished the task, the kids were completely silent. They were either gazing up at her expectantly or holding their chins in their hands.  
“Mercy Lewis, what is this, a funeral?” Tina asked, smiling. A few of the kids laughed, but most didn’t. This didn’t discourage her; it only proved how well she had chosen the objective for their first lesson.  
“Please stand, arrange your desks into groups of three or four, and introduce yourselves to the members of your group.”  
They did so; though some students rolled their eyes. Tina got off of her desk.  
“Now, we’re going to learn a spell for casting green sparks into the air. This is often used for signaling danger or the need for help. Please repeat the incantation after me: Verdimillious”  
“Verdimillious!”  
They all looked excited now.  
“Great! Again, and correct pronunciation is key; vur-duh-MILL-ee-us.”  
The pronunciation was better this time. Tina twirled her wand, said the incantation, and watched as dazzling green light shot into the air.  
“Everyone, pull out your wands and try it.”  
For the next few minutes, she walked through the groups. There were a few who were having trouble, but it wasn’t long before they were able to do it. Tina beamed as she made her way back toward her desk, green light mingling with the sunlight streaming through the large windows. She got their attention and the spell-casting stopped.  
“Thank you for working so hard, everyone. Before we begin the activity I have planned, I’d like to mention the rules I have for this class: one, you will always do your best in whatever task is given to you. Two, only kindness and respect will be allowed in this room. Three, it is required to ask for help if you don’t know how to do something.”  
The eyes of all of the students were fixed on her seriously. She no longer felt it necessary to take deep breaths to steady herself as she gazed at the children before her; she was overcome with excitement.  
“Now, we’ll play a game using the spell we’ve just learned.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon.


End file.
